The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team have confirmed that seven-times Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will make his racing return in 2010 with the Silver Arrows team.
With seven Drivers’ World Championships, 248 Grand Prix starts, 91 victories, 154 podium finishes and 68 pole positions, the 40-year old German needs no introduction following an illustrious and record-breaking Formula One career from 1991 to 2006 at the Jordan, Benetton and Ferrari teams.

The Type 124 (pronounced One Twenty Four) Endurance Racecar is the next step in the evolution of the Evora. The car will make its 24 hour racing debut at the ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hours which provides a great test for the Evora’s performance, efficiency and durability under tough and demanding endurance race conditions.

The Pac Performance Mazda6 has officially become the world’s fastest rotary-powered vehicle over 400 metres.
Running in qualifying at the Fuchs Australian Nationals at Western Sydney International Dragway last Saturday, driver Rocky Rehayem pushed his Mazda6 over the quarter-mile in just 6.752 seconds at a terminal speed of 201mph.

The BMW Group will not continue its Formula One campaign after the end of the 2009 season. Resources freed up as a result are to be dedicated to the development of new drive technologies and projects in the field of sustainability. BMW will continue to be actively involved in other motor sports series. The landmark decision to restructure BMW Motorsport’s activities was made at the Board of Management’s meeting yesterday.
“Of course, this was a difficult decision for us. But it’s a resolute...

Michael Schumacher covered around 20 laps of Fiorano today at the wheel of the 599 GTB equipped with the Handling GT Evoluzione package that was recently introduced at the Geneva Show.
The seven-times World F1 Champion took to the track to try out the improved handling offered by the new set-up which emphasises the performance of this, Ferrari's most powerful berlinetta.
The Handling GT Evoluzione package includes a lower, stiffer ride, a new tyre compound offering even better levels of...

Australia’s David Brabham will make his debut for Peugeot Sport at this weekend’s Spa-Francorchamps 1000km.
The event at the famed Belgian circuit is the traditional lead-in event to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
Brabham will join former Formula One stars Marc Gene and Alexander Wurz in the No.9 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP at Spa.
It will be Brabham’s first competitive outing at the wheel of one of the Peugeot diesel V12 powered sportscars that produce more than 515kW (700hp) of power.

Aston Martin will return to the starting grid of the legendary Nordschleife for the fourth consecutive year at the 37th ADAC Nürburgring 24-hour race on 23/24 May 2009 with the new V12 Vantage. Joining the marque’s latest model will be ‘Rose’, the yellow V8 Vantage that was first entered into the race in 2006.
Headlining this year’s factory effort and aiming to repeat Aston Martin’s untarnished record of finishing the 24-hour race, will be the marque’s new V12 Vantage in near-standard...

Lola Group has commenced a major project comprising a full technical, operational and financial evaluation aimed at developing a car to compete in the FIA Formula One World ChampionshipTM. This follows the decisions announced by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on March 17th 2009 regarding the introduction of a ‘cost capping' option to Formula OneTM in 2010.
Lola, which has a rich heritage in international motor sport since its inception in 1958, has commenced work on the project and,...

Lexus will enter two LF-A sportscar prototypes in the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race on 23-24 May, 2009.
The entry of the two-seater sportscar, which is powered by a 5.0-litre, V10 producing more than 500PS, forms part of an on-going R&D process. As in 2008, Lexus engineers will use the grueling race at the infamous German track to gather technical data that will be applied to future mass-production of vehicles. The company will also use the event as an opportunity to develop human...

In the course of the further development of the Audi R8 LMS, an ultimate endurance test is on the agenda for the new GT3 sports car of AUDI AG at the end of May: On May 23/24, Teams ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing, with "factory" support by Audi, will field a total of four vehicles in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
"The 24 Hours is not only one of the biggest motorsport events in Germany," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "The...

This May, SUBARU Tecnica International (STI) heads to the Nurburgring circuit for the "37th ADAC Zurich 24 Hour Race" (24 Hours of the Nurburgring) with an originally tuned version of the Impreza WRX STI aiming for a class victory.
The ADAC Zurich 24-hour race takes place at the course of 25.378km in total, and is the largest endurance event in the world, with more than 200 cars participating, familiarized by European manufacturers who enter every year. STI particularly and...

At the 24-Hour Race on the Nürburgring on 23/24 May, Volkswagen will field two Scirocco cars with innovative natural gas engines. Following the historic one-two victory at the Dakar Rally in January, which Volkswagen won as the first automobile manufacturer using diesel technology in the event, the Wolfsburg brand is now taking on another technical challenge - the use of EcoFuel engines in the endurance test twice around the clock on the world's most demanding race track.
The two Scirocco...

Vauxhall announced today that VX Racing will not return to the British Touring Car Championship in 2010. The Luton-based manufacturer, the most successful in modern touring cars history, will continue to campaign three cars this year, driven by Fabrizio Giovanardi, Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan.
The decision to withdraw from the BTCC in 2010 was influenced by the absence of other manufacturer-backed teams and financial prudence in the current global economic downturn. While the company regrets...

The new Maserati GranTurismo MC will be officially unveiled during the FIA GT "Media Days" at the Paul Ricard circuit. The new model is an offshoot of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Concept introduced last September in Monza and based on the Maserati GranTurismo S road version, with electro-actuated gearbox system.
On 17 and 18 March the car participated in the "Balance of performance", two days of practices organized by SRO at the Paul Ricard circuit in order to analyze and...

A prestige new entry joins the list of Superstars Series 2009 championship contestants. It is the Swiss Team, ready to bring to its outright debut the Maserati Quattroporte, entrusting it to a very skilful driver, with a noteworthy past in F1 and in Sport and GT categories, whose name is Andrea Chiesa who, except for a few fleeting appearances, for the fist time in his career will be at the wheel of a Touring car.
A challenge entirely original for the team set up at the end of 2008 but with...

MotoGP 2009 is to kick off this weekend with the opening race of the eagerly awaited season, once more being held under the spectacular floodlights of the Losail circuit in Qatar. BMW M is continuing to be a partner of MotoGP for the eleventh season, supplying a mouth watering array of Safety Cars to one of motorsport's most exciting championships with world first at Qatar in the shape of a BMW X6 M.

The BMW works drivers Augusto Farfus (BR), Jörg Müller (DE) and Andy Priaulx (GB) will line up at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife on 23rd/24th May 2009. This will also mark the debut of the BMW M3 GT4 at this legendary endurance race.
Müller and Priaulx will be behind the wheel of the BMW M3 GT4 when they race for Schubert Motorsport in the Eifel region. The two drivers, who are normally involved in a battle for glory for BMW in the FIA World Touring Car Championship...

Chris Wootton has shown some true Aussie determination this afternoon in Round 1 of Formula BMW Pacific, overcoming an aerodynamic deficiency to finish second at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia.
After yesterday qualifying second – missing pole position by an agonising six one-hundredths of a second (0.06), Chris was determined to make amends today, however, being swamped off the line, he dropped to sixth at the first turn.
Fighting his way back through the field, the Australian Formula...

A superb line-up of teams and drivers are raring to go for the first of 20 races of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship which starts this weekend (April 4/5) at Brands Hatch, Kent.
An impressive total of 25 registered competitors have signed up to compete in the stunning 420bhp ‘Type 997’ 911 GT3 Cup, in what is the UK’s fastest single marque Championship, supporting the British Touring Car Championship over ten weekends at circuits up and down the country.
The Porsche Carrera...

The SL63 AMG, as the Official F1 Safety Car, and the C63 AMG Estate, as the Official F1 Medical Car, are to continue to help ensure maximum safety, this time for the 2009 Formula 1 season. AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, will be on duty with the two specially prepared high-performance vehicles at all 17 of the new season's Formula 1 races, starting with a first appearance at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne (27 to 29 March 2009). The specialists from the AMG PERFORMANCE...

While the Nissan GT-R Safety Car graced Australian television screens for the first time, courtesy V8 Supercars in Adelaide, a race prepared GT-R blitzed the opener to the 2009 SUPER GT series in Japan on Sunday at the 3.703km Okayama Circuit.
The No. 24 HIS ADVAN KONDO Nissan GT-R driven by Joao Paolo de Oliveira and Seiji Ara started in third place on the grid but easily overpowered rivals to build a commanding
21-second lead and take the chequered flag in a powerful display.
The...

Panasonic Toyota Racing driver Timo Glock has experienced a unique view of Melbourne in the lead-up to this Sunday's Australian Grand Prix by driving a Toyota Hilux on two wheels.
Glock spent the day at Calder Park Raceway north of Melbourne where he learnt the secrets of stunt driving from the renowned Toyota V6 Hilux Heroes stunt driving team.
The team, which performs nationally at leading metro, regional and rural shows in slightly modified versions of the 4x2 V6-powered Toyota Hilux,...

Team Peugeot Total announced before the start that its objective at Sebring was to validate the evolutions introduced for 2009 and to see how it compared with its rivals as part of its build-up to this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. The 12 Hours of Sebring enabled the French squad to learn a number of lessons after a busy race which saw a Peugeot finish in second place. The Bourdais/Montagny/Sarrazin car crossed the line 22.279s after the N°2 Audi, which is equivalent to the time lost as a result of...

Scott Dixon put Acura into the Sebring record books Thursday with a stunning final-lap dash to win the overall pole position for Saturday’s 57th annual 12 Hours of Sebring.
Dixon, the defending Indy 500 and IndyCar Series champion, made his first Sebring race appearance quite notable by driving the all-new No. 66 de Ferran XM Radio Acura ARX-02a prototype sports car to the top position in Saturday’s grid over expected favorites Audi and Peugeot. It is the first time since 2005 that a...

The heralded BMW 135i Coupé is set to take on the muscle of Albert Park at this year’s 2009 Australian Grand Prix.
A specially equipped 135i Coupé, bearing the famed tii livery and featuring BMW Performance gear, will take part in the Ultimate Speed Comparison.
A race between a V8 Supercar, fully prepared BMW Sauber Formula 1 car and road going BMW 135i Coupé, the Ultimate Speed Comparison is a crowd favourite which pits three high performance forms of motoring against each other in a one...

Audi is the "featured marque" at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed in July - the spectacular annual event that is to be staged just days before the German manufacturer celebrates its Centenary.
Taking "centre stage" with the main display in front of Goodwood House, Audi will use Lord March's World class motorsport extravaganza to commemorate that its origins were laid 100 years ago on 16 July 1909.
The Festival is far more than just a hillclimb and can justifiably...

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced the sale of the Honda Racing F1 Team (HRF1) to Ross Brawn, the former Team Principal of Honda Racing F1 Team.
The entire shares of the HRF1, held by Honda GP Holdings Ltd., the UK-based holding company for HRF1 that managed all operations of Honda's Formula One racing, were sold to Ross Brawn. As a result of this sale, the team ownership has transferred to Mr. Brawn, who plans to have the new team compete for this year's FIA Formula One World Championship.

Following weeks of intense preparation Aston Martin Racing ran its new LMP1 cars for the first time at the Le Mans Series test held at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France on 8/9 March.
Car numbers 007 and 009 resplendent in their Gulf Oil International orange and blue livery took to the French circuit on Sunday morning. All six of the team's drivers, Jan Charouz (CZ), Tomas Enge (CZ), Stefan Mücke (DE), Harold Primat (CH), Miguel Ramos (PT) and Darren Turner (GB) got an opportunity to test the...

AUDI AG is the world’s first automobile manufacturer to develop a “second” generation diesel racing sports car. Audi aims to underline its supremacy and consolidate its expertise in car technology once more at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans with the all-new Audi R15 TDI.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is particularly suited for this: Efficient and economical cars are especially required for the French endurance classic. Lightweight construction, environmentally friendly drive concepts and...

Nissan Australia today released photographs of its blistering GT-R sports coupe which will appear as the official Safety Car during the upcoming 2009 Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Specially fitted with high visibility safety lights inside the cabin the Nissan GT-R makes its first appearance among the V8 touring cars in Adelaide on March 14.
The GT-R goes on sale in Australia in April and has already found approximately 150 owners.
The promotional venture into Australia’s...

Lamborghini has announced its new Lamborghini Academy dates for 2009. With courses open to all sports car enthusiasts as well as Lamborghini owners, the track driving schools provide an extraordinary opportunity to experience the full potential of Lamborghini cars, alongside the Italian super sports car manufacturer's professional instructors.

The eagerly awaited first race of the new diesel sports car from AUDI AG draws ever closer: Audi Sport Team Joest contests the notorious 12-hour race at Sebring, Florida on 21 March with two Audi R15 TDI. The US endurance classic will act as stern test and dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 13 /14 June 2009.
The new Audi R15 TDI is packed with numerous technically innovative detail solutions and differs significantly from its predecessor model the R10 TDI which was undefeated at...

Despite today's difficult economic context, Peugeot has chosen to pursue its different motor sport activities in 2009. These range from its high profile endurance racing programme to the promotion of its products through its various single-make series. The current crisis has led Peugeot's management to seek synergies within Groupe PSA Peugeot Citroën with the appointment of Olivier Quesnel at the helm of Peugeot Sport.
Peugeot Sport suffered a huge disappointment in 2008 after coming so...

Ralf Schumacher (33) has extended his contract and will start in the DTM (German Touring Car Championship) in 2009 with Mercedes-Benz.
After his learning year with a 2007 car, he will now race the new 2009 Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport announced today. The season will start in Hockenheim on 17th May 2009.

The eagerly awaited first race of the new diesel sports car from AUDI AG is drawing closer.
Audi Sport Team Joest will contest the notorious 12-hour race at Sebring, Florida on 21 March with two new Audi R15 TDI sportscars. The US endurance classic will act as stern test and dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 13 /14 June 2009.
The new Audi R15 TDI is packed with numerous technically innovative solutions and differs significantly from its predecessor model, the R10 TDI, which...

The new Porsche 911 GT3 RSR has passed its premiere on the race track with flying colours. At the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) winter tests in Sebring, the long distance racer, which received modifications in many areas, immediately proved exceptional in its reliability and handling. The Porsche teams Flying Lizard Motorsports and Farnbacher Loles Racing conducted an intensive three-day test schedule and worked on a basis set-up for the Sebring 12 hour race in March.
"Right from the...

On the 50th anniversary of its outright win at Le Mans, Aston Martin will return to La Sarthe with two Works LMP1 cars bearing the iconic blue and orange livery of Gulf Oil.
In an ambitious attempt to emulate the legendary achievements of the 1959 DBR1 driven by Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori, Aston Martin will endeavour to bring the Le Mans title back to Britain.
"2009 is a hugely significant year for Aston Martin at Le Mans and the challenge of reclaiming victory in this famous...

The BMW Sauber F1 Team raised the curtain on its 2009 season in Formula One in Valencia this morning. Robert Kubica (24) and Nick Heidfeld (31) unveiled the new BMW Sauber F1.09 shortly after nine o’clock. Kubica then took the car for its first lap of the southern Spanish circuit. The team goes into its fourth season with the ambitious aim of fighting for the World Championship title.
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen reinforces the point: “We have set ourselves the task of further...

Following the ING Renault F1 Team’s improving performance in 2008, the new R29 is a development in design philosophy aimed at extracting maximum performance from the new aero regulations, slick Bridgestone tires, and KERS system, whilst further developing the strong features of the R28.
With such radical rules coming into force, particularly with respect to aerodynamics, the team placed great emphasis on maximizing the R29’s time in the wind tunnel, with aero development already underway by...

The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team has launched the car it will campaign in the 2009 FIA Formula 1 World Championship at its headquarters in Woking, England.
Unveiled by world champion Lewis Hamilton and his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, the new MP4-24 bears little resemblance to its world championship-winning predecessor due to the introduction of a raft of new rules that have reshaped Formula 1 ahead of the 2009 season.
Now featuring heavily revised bodywork, re-sculpted front...

Leaner, meaner and focused on winning, Toyota’s contender for the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship broke cover today.
Panasonic Toyota Racing unveiled its new TF109 racer at its Cologne headquarters in a ceremony broadcast on-line around the globe. Designed and engineered in line with new FIA regulations, it carries Toyota’s hopes of securing its elusive first grand prix victory.
Team president John Howitt said: “After eight years in Formula 1 we have gained a huge amount of knowledge...

Traffic in London’s Pall Mall came to a halt today (Thursday January 15th) when the “world’s greatest racing car” driven by rock legend Nick Mason from Pink Floyd called into the Royal Automobile Club.
The club welcomed the car after thousands of readers from Octane, one of Britain’s top motoring magazines, had voted for the car which had been nominated by Sir Stirling Moss.
Nick Mason said: “The accolade is well deserved. To many the 250F is the archetypal Grand Prix car and, apart from...

Ferrari has taken the wraps off its 2009 Formula 1 contender at the Mugello race track in Italy with which Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen will defend Ferrari’s 2008 Formula One World Championship Manufacturers’ title.
The F60 is the fifty fifth single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship. The name of the car was chosen to celebrate the Scuderia's participation in all 60 of the Formula 1 World Championship from 1950 to date.

High accuracy and high resolution IR sensor critical for optimising vehicle set up and tyre performance in the wake of restricted testing.
For the first time, a sensor that provides accurate tyre temperature and pressure data unaffected by heat soak has been produced by BERU f1systems. A dramatic reduction in testing and new slick tyres set to be introduced in 2009 are also driving demand for trusted tyre data.
“Tyre temperature sensors are normally fitted to the rim as part of the...

The all new Lotus Driving Academy has been developed to link Lotus’ adrenaline-fuelled track experiences and it’s hugely successful driver training to create an unrivalled programme that creates better drivers.
Mike Kimberley CEO of Group Lotus Plc comments: “Lotus cars have been designed to be fun to drive, exciting and offer phenomenal performance with excellent safety. The Lotus Driving Academy gives participants the skills to extract the best out of their cars, improving the ownership...

Maserati has released details of the 2009 programme for the ultimate advanced driving courses, the Master Maserati Driving Course, with tuition provided by drivers from Formula One, World Rally Championship, Indy Car and European and World Touring Cars in latest Maserati models.
Open to both aspiring and existing Maserati owners, the Maserati driving courses have been developed and perfected to provide the perfect blend of theory and practice. They ensure that participants may enjoy an...

Several new GT3 specification Mosler race cars will join the grid for the start of the 2009 Australian GT Championship at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide (March 19-22).
Following approval last week from the Australian Motor Racing Commission (AMRC), the Mosler MT900 GT3 has been added to the eligible vehicles list for the 2009 Australian GT Championship.
A leading GT team is currently in the UK and is testing one of the cars today (Monday December 15) with up to four vehicles likely to be...

Four current and former British boxing champions will be warming up for a ‘bout’ with a difference – when they fire-up a Wembley Stadium crowd this weekend with a Race of Champions showdown in new Abarth 500 race cars.
Ring legend Frank Bruno, young gun Amir Khan and fight stars David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli have all signed up to drive 190 bhp Abarth 500 Assetto Corse superminis in a special Race of Champions celebrity event on the London arena’s purpose-built track.

Chrysler Australia announced today that they will no longer continue as the official Safety and Course Car provider for the V8 Supercar Championship Series. After four years of leading the pack, the sponsorship came to an end at the conclusion of the 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series.
"Chrysler has been a wonderful partner in our great sport," V8 Supercars Australia CEO Cameron Levick said. "Their sponsorship has been fantastic for Chrysler and V8 Supercars Australia. We...

Honda Motor Co., Ltd., have come to the conclusion that we will withdraw from all Formula One activities, making 2008 the last season of participation.
This difficult decision has been made in light of the quickly deteriorating operating environment facing the global auto industry, brought on by the sub-prime problem in the United States, the deepening credit crisis and the sudden contraction of the world economies.
Honda must protect its core business activities and secure the long term...

To round-off Lewis Hamilton’s glorious winning season, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Technology Partner, ExxonMobil, presented him a final challenge: to design the ultimate ‘Supercircuit’.
This fantasy race track is a combination of the toughest corners, chicanes and straights from Hamilton’s favourite circuits around the world. It is also a fascinating insight into where adrenaline levels are at their highest, and the levels of performance that are required by the car, engine and race...

In future, the AUDI AG motorsport programme will be based on three pillars: During the 2009 season, the brand with the four rings will compete once again in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the DTM. Additionally, with the new Audi R8 LMS, Audi Sport offers for the first time a racing sports car specifically developed for customer use.
"We know just how important motorsport is for the success of the brand," emphasises Michael Dick, who as Chairman of the Board for Technical...

Last week saw the Automobili Lamborghini development team and engineers from tire partner Pirelli put the Gallardo Super Trofeo through its paces on the Vallelunga Race Track outside Rome. This marked the first tests under simulated race conditions, with Lamborghini test driver Giorgio Sanna behind the wheel. From the very outset, the lap times achieved were faster than any ever recorded with a single-brand trophy race car on this track.
The new Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo delivered...

With a new global car on the way for 2009, the World Touring Car Championship is the perfect platform for Chevrolet to put its latest model in the public eye.
This is the new Cruze WTCC car, which replaces the successful Lacetti as Chevrolet’s contender in the 2009 series.
Powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, the WTCC Cruze has a hard act to follow, as the Lacetti won its final two outings for Chevrolet in Macau.
But Chevrolet’s drivers are confident that the new car will be a top...

When Jason Akermanis is upside down, it is usually performing one of his celebratory handstands. Today however, it was an altogether different form of "upside down" when he rolled his Motorline MINI Garage machine on the warmup lap of MINI Challenge race one at Symmons Plains, which was won by DecoRug Racing's Paul Stokell.
The Western Bulldogs star was caught out by new slick tyres on a damp racetrack and did a complete barrell roll, landing on all four wheels. Thankfully,...

The Lotus Sport 2-Eleven GT4 Supersport race car asserts itself at the pinnacle of the 2-Eleven range, combining race winning pedigree with unparalleled handling and balance. Building on the success of the 2-Eleven road and track variants, Lotus Sport has developed this GT4 Supersport race car to compete in the European SRO GT4 Supersports category.
The Lotus Sport GT4 Supersport pushes the limits to the extreme: wearing a dramatic composite body, full rollcage and with increased power and...

In one of the most dramatic finishes to a world championship ever, Lewis took the title by a single point after securing fifth position on the final corner of the final lap of the final race of the 2008 season. Lewis finished the year with 98 points, one point ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who won his home race at Interlagos this afternoon.
Heikki Kovalainen finished seventh - a result that helped the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team to second in the constructors’ championship with 151...

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific today announced that it will be returning to the Australian Formula One Grand Prix next year, and the three-pointed star will certainly be hard to miss.
The iconic luxury- and sports-car maker will have a distinct and immediate presence at the opening round of the 2009 Formula One World Championship when it kicks off in March next year.
Situated at turn 12 on the Albert Park race course will be a VIP hospitality suite tailored to provide invited guests of...

Bernd Schneider is the only driver in the current DTM line-up who has competed in both the earlier (1984 to 1996) and the new DTM series (since 2000).
He is also the only driver to have successfully defended his championship title in the following year (2000/2001).
His record-breaking tally of victories, pole positions and fastest racing laps is set to remain unequalled for a very long time, if indeed it is ever equalled or bettered.
But this is not the only reason why "Mr....

After the triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the early title win in the American Le Mans Series, AUDI AG performed another feat with the Audi R10 TDI diesel sportscar: At the 1000-kilometre race at Silverstone (Great Britain), Audi Sport Team Joest – clinching victory as well as fourth place – secured also the champion’s title in the European Le Mans Series (LMS).
In front of a record turnout of 53,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) Dindo Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland)...

Maserati has maintained its leads in the FIA GT World Championship following two races at the weekend (23-24 August 2008) at the new Bucharest road circuit in Romania, with Vitaphone Maserati team still leading the team title chase and its drivers, Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels, still in front in the drivers’ title battle despite the Maserati crews forced to haul 60 kg of ballast follow previous round wins.

There was good news and bad news for Ferrari from its Spanish weekend (23-24 August 2008) and the 2008 Grand Prix of Europe in Valencia, with Felipe Massa, who dominated the race with a pole start to finish victory, his fourth of the season, but Kimi Raikkonen’s race ended in a cloud of smoke near the end of the race and a Ferrari pit crew member ended up in hospital after a pit lane accident with Raikkonen’s car.

Two months after the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours, Team Peugeot Total was eager to pull off a win in Germany where its two 908 HDi FAPs both qualified on the front row of the grid. The two crews produced a perfect team effort to provide the French carmaker with its first one-two finish of the season, just as they had done at the Nürburgring this time last year. The result also hands Peugeot and its crews the provisional lead in both championships.

Maserati has scored a dominant win at the Spa 24 Hour Race at the weekend (2-3 August), the latest round of the FIA GT World Championship, with the two Maserati Vitaphone MC12 cars finishing 1-2 and a third Maserati MC 12 finishing one step off the podium.

Willowbank raceway was set alight with the launch of Team Dodge Racing at Mopar Sunday in Queensland. Lee Bekatsh managed to launch his Pro Stock Dodge Avenger down the quarter mile three times in front of a Mopar mad crowd. Following an initial test run to assess the new setup, Lee was able to run a 7.22 second pass.

Thirty years on from its first race, the BMW M1 Procar Series made a sensational return to racing at the Hockenheim Grand Prix circuit in Germany this weekend, with a host of big names and a host of fun.

Audi Sport North America’s two Audi R10 TDI prototypes were in a class of their own in round six of the American Le Mans series at Mid-Ohio (U.S. state of Ohio). Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner and Dindo Capello/Emanuele Pirro achieved a commanding 1-2 victory for Audi – on a track which in the past favoured the lighter LM P2 cars and on which Audi last scored an overall victory in 2004.

Felipe Massa made it to the third step of the podium at the end of the German Grand Prix at the weekend (20 July 2008) and his Scuderia Ferrari team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen finished where he started - in sixth.

Volvo Car Corporation has decided to enter its new ethanol powered Volvo C30 racer in the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) at Brands Hatch on the 26 - 27th of July. The car, which is in its first year on track, races in the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) as the only ethanol E85 powered car in that series. In STCC, the car has so far secured three out of seven pole positions and has led close to half of all laps driven.

Although the MINI CHALLENGE racecars are rugged up in front of the heater enjoying their hibernation until the L&H 500, Phillip Island – September 12-14, their owners and the category have been far from idle.

Maserati has maintained its lead in both the FIA GT World Championship for drivers’ and teams’ after the weekend’s (6 July 2008) German round in Oschersleben despite race victory being snatched away from the Maserati drivers by the safety car.

The results speak for themselves – all three podium spots taken by Ferrari 430 drivers and eight of the top ten places filled by the Ferrari 430 – as Ferrari delivered another crushing result at the fourth round of the FIA GT Championship at Oschersleben, Germany, at the weekend (6 July 2008) in the GT2 class.

The first half of the season ended in dramatic style at Silverstone, as the rain played a significant effect on the outcome of the race. The British Grand Prix was won with panache by Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren-Mercedes, but for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro it was not the best of days, with Kimi Raikkonen salvaging fourth place and Felipe Massa down in thirteenth spot, both men suffering lack of grip in the slippery conditions.

In front of 140,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) Audi maintained its lead in the DTM standings in Nuremberg. Finishing the race in third place, Timo Scheider defended his overall lead and gave Audi its first Norisring podium since 2005. With Mattias Ekström in fourth, and Tom Kristensen in seventh place, two other Audi drivers scored points.

The Norisring is regarded as the "German Monaco" and definitely lived up to its reputation again this year. Numerous celebrities kept their fingers crossed for the Audi squad at its "home race". And Audi came up with several special attractions for the fans as well.

Audi Tradition is marking this year's Festival of Speed at Goodwood, England (July 11 to 13, 2008) with a world debut. At the largest classic car racing event in the world, the Ingolstadt company will be taking the wraps off an absolutely authentic reconstruction of the original Auto Union "Silverarrow" Type D Dual Compressor from 1939.

On the outskirts of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, Sepang International Circuit (1 lap/5.542kms) played host to Round 4 of the SUPER GT series. Starting from a fourth-place qualifying result, the WOODONE ADVAN Clarion GT-R (#24; Joao Paolo de Oliveira/Seiji Ara) took the win. In second place, the pole-starting MOTUL AUTECH GT-R, (#22; Michael Krumm/Masataka Yanagida) came second, resulting in a resounding 1-2 finish for the NISSAN GT-R. From four rounds this season, this is the third...

Ferrari scored its second 1-2 finish of the season in France at the weekend (22 June 2008) but given that Raikkonen had started from pole position, it wasn’t quite the result expected with Felipe Massa leading the flying Finn across the finish line as a broken exhaust kept Raikkonen off the top podium step.

Less than a week after is dominant performance in the Le Mans 24 Hour race, where Ferrari 430S filled the top four GT2 places, Ferrari reliability has enabled it to beat Porsche again, this time in the third round of the FIA GT Championship with a Ferrari 1-2-3-4 at Adria at the weekend (21 June 2008) putting a Ferrari 430 team at the head of the GT2 title chase and Ferrari 430 drivers leading the pursuit of the drivers’ GT2 crown.

Maserati may be yet to take the top step of the podium in 2008, but consistent performances on the second and third steps of the podium, culminating in a second place in the weekend’s (21 June 2008) third round of the FIA GT World Championship at the Italian track at Adria, has seen the Maserati Vitaphone Team take the lead in the team championship and Maserati drivers Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels are now first equal in driver’s title chase.

The leading American Ferrari Team, Risi Competizione, has lead home a Ferrari clean sweep in the GT2 Class in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race, proving that they were more than equal to the challenge of the greatest sports car test in the world for man and machine, with Jaime Melo, Mika Salo and Gimmi Bruni guiding their Ferrari 430 home in the grueling long distance race to take the top step on the winners podium.

The Powered by Ferrari A1GP World Cup of Motorsport car for the 2008/09 season successfully completes its first intensive testing programme outside the confines of Ferrari’s own facilities with two days at Italy’s Enzo e Dino Ferrari racetrack in Imola.

The Audi R10 TDI remains unbeaten in the Le Mans 24 Hour race: in its third attempt, the diesel sportscar won the French endurance classic yet again. After the incredible thrill of the 76th edition of the race, Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) triumphed at the wheel of the Audi R10 TDI number 2.

Ingolstadt … On 14 and 15 June Audi starts for the tenth time in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. For AUDI AG it is much more than just claiming a possible eighth overall victory in the French endurance classic: Quite probably the world’s hardest car race acts as test bench for new technology later used in street cars.

Jason Bargwanna has given his Trivett Classic MINI Garage/Matchmaster TV Reception Systems team the perfect possible start, by setting the fastest time in MINI CHALLENGE qualifying at Sandown International Raceway today.

After becoming the first ever MINI CHALLENGE UBER-STAR at Eastern Creek, Jason Bargwanna will complete the remainder of 2008 in the Series, this time with cousin, Scott in a two car super-team, starting this weekend at Sandown.

All set for the "race of the year": covering a total of almost 2,600 kilometres on the only official test day, the Audi drivers prepared themselves for the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans to be staged on 14 and 15 June. The Audi R10 TDI vehicles completed the eight-hour test without the slightest technical problem.

In the space of just a year and a half, Peugeot has risen to a formidable challenge. It has designed a car from A to Z capable of taking the fight to rivals seen as the benchmark in the realm of endurance racing. On June 14, exactly 531 days after its track debut on December 31, 2006, the 908 HDi FAP will begin its bid to secure the priority objective of Peugeot's 2008 season: victory at Le Mans. The nine drivers who will drive the three cars, and the bonded, motivated team are already fully...

Forming a part of the unique Melbourne and motorsport zeitgeist is the name Stillwell. Similarly, MINI is synonymous with Melbourne’s cast of the cool and motor racing in Australia. This coming Queen’s Birthday long weekend (June 7-9), both will combine at Sandown Raceway for the fourth round of MINI CHALLENGE.

A third place for Felipe Massa and a ninth for Kimi Raikkonen was definitely not what Scuderia Ferrari had expected, given that the two F2008 Ferraris started the Monaco GP from the front row at the weekend (25 May 2008).

On the surface, the link between MINI CHALLENGE and boating may seem tenuous at best, but look a bit deeper and MINI CHALLENGE racer, Darren Berry will build that link for you as his company – Clipper Motor Yachts – presents his MINI CHALLENGE racecar at the 20th annual Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show this weekend, May 22-25.

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has revealed the first image of its brand new ‘Powered by Ferrari’ car for use in season four (2008/09). The CAD drawing was released ahead of the car’s inaugural shakedown test in Southern England.

Mark ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom was unstoppable at round four of the V8 Supercars, taking pole position in Saturday’s qualifying and progressing to three 50 lap race wins at Barbagallo Raceway, putting him atop the podium today in Perth.

Just like the first two rounds of the 2008 Le Mans Series, the 1,000km de Spa-Francorchamps turned out to be yet another fiercely-disputed, drama-filled race. The result saw Team Peugeot Total claim its third success from three starts without suffering the slightest technical problem. Nicolas Minassian, Marc Gené and Jacques Villeneuve shared the winning N°7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, but the team's other car crashed out shortly after the two-hour mark.

Damien White became the third round winner in as many rounds when he swept to victory in the most hotly contested MINI CHALLENGE race this season, whilst Gary Young (SALTA Constructions) scored his maiden MINI CHALLENGE victory.

After a glittering launch of Glory Team Racing’s stunning new United Industries supported MINI CHALLENGE racecar, Perth’s David Turner scorched around the Barbagallo Raceway to set the fastest lap of the first two practice sessions in MINI CHALLENGE today.

If current MINI CHALLENGE Series leader – Seven Network personality, Grant Denyer (DecoRug Motorsport) – was expecting a warm welcome at Barbagallo Raceway this weekend, he can think again, say the West Australian competitors in the Series.

V8 Supercar teams will honour the passing of Ford boss Geoff Polites this weekend by incorporating black ovals bearing the word 'Geoff' into race car liveries at round four of the Championship in Perth.

Fresh from a victory in the Australian Formula 3 Championship last weekend, Leanne Tander is poised to become the first female racer in the Australian MINI CHALLENGE at Barbagallo Raceway, when she pilots a second MINI CHALLENGE UBER-STAR CAR in support of the BigPond 400 – May 9-11.

Having been confronted with the foreboding sight of All Black legend, Jonah Lomu coming at him at full pelt on many occasions, World Champion Wallaby winger, Ben Tune is accustomed to mountainous challenges. Over the weekend of May 9-11 at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth, it will be a MINI CHALLENGE he faces, lining up for his second motor race in the UBER-STAR CAR.

Following a dominant performance by Ferrari, with a 1-2 win for Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, in the Spanish Grand Prix at the weekend (27 April 2008) the world’s most successful motorsport team now leads both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ title chases in 2008 Formula One World Championship.

Following an historic GT1 class victory at the endurance classic last year, the 2008 line-up is once again an exciting blend of youth and experience, with four new drivers joining two members of the winning crew from last year.